Nissan Juke successor confirmed, will still be built in UK

A second-generation version of the Nissan Juke has been confirmed, with the Japanese company asserting that it will continue to build the small SUV in the United Kingdom.

The move is described by the brand as “a statement of Nissan’s intention to remain the undisputed crossover leader”, with the Juke filling the role of the smallest model in the range below the Qashqai, X-Trail, Pathfinder, Murano and Patrol.

The current Juke is built in Sunderland, and the news of the second-generation version’s continuation at that plant follows the announcement of a further £100 million ($218 million) of investment in to what is the biggest car construction plant in the history of the UK.

It will be the first product to be built on the Common Module Family (CMF) B segment architecture. As with similar architecture toolboxes like the MQB system used by the Volkswagen Group, the CMF is designed to push “synergies in all major areas, from purchasing to vehicle engineering and powertrains”.

The polarising first-generation Juke hasn’t been to all buyers tastes, particularly in Australia where the car hasn’t managed to see as much success as more conventionally-styled small SUVs (such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3).

The new-generation Juke will be designed by Nissan’s European design team in Paddington, London, while the company’s European Engineering Headquarters in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, is set to be “instrumental in the development of this new model”.

It is expected the new Juke could be built in the UK from as early as 2016, with the release pointing out that the plan to build it in Sunderland “points to a secure future for both production lines in Sunderland and the jobs of 34,000 people currently employed by Nissan and its British suppliers beyond 2020”.

Nissan Australia general manager of corporate communications Peter Fadeyev told CarAdvice it is “too soon to comment on a future version of Juke”.

Other vehicles built at the Sunderland plant include the Nissan Note and electric Leaf hatchback, and the all-new Infiniti Q30 hatch will commence production there later this year.